EVIDENCE BASE FOR PEER SUPPORT
One Eighty's primary function is to promote the prevention of youth suicide. While we're fulfilling this role in a number of ways one of our proudest contributions to this vision is our Open Up program. Open Up has been developed by One Eighty in collaboration with a number of experts on the One Eighty Wellbeing Advisory Group.
“I have been incredibly impressed by the development of One Eighty’s Open Up program, that is based on underpinning theory, addressing a range of protective and risk factors of mental disorders and suicide. One Eighty also seeks to enhance belonging to a social network of communication and supportive relationships, which have been demonstrated to be protective of good mental health and well-being. Moreover, One Eighty aims to improve help seeking by increasing awareness and mental health literacy and reducing stigma.”
Why is Peer Support Important?
Evidence shows that young people are more likely to share personal concerns, issues and experiences with a peer over a professional, adult or a parent.
This means that peer support is really important to young people, especially those who may struggle to seek help for mental health challenges.
Research suggests that youth who engage in healthy peer relationships can establish protective factors against youth suicide. For example, social support is a protective factor.
Peer support can also help young people develop a sense of identity, feel like they belong, build problem solving skills, be more resilient, and manage mental health challenges.
Peer Support and Mental Wellbeing
Peer support can improve both mental health and physical health outcomes, including emotional and behavioural experiences. Open Up sessions foster this philosophy, by offering a peer-to-peer network of support that instils in participants a sense of belonging, inclusion, and safety.
Studies have found that participation in peer support programs can lead to increased sense of empowerment, self-efficacy (reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behaviour, and social environment.), and assertiveness.
Research has found peer support to be beneficial to individuals through strengthening their sense of identity, increasing confidence, improving mental wellbeing and challenging the stigma around mental health.
Peer Support and Mental Illness
Research has shown that peer support approaches can not only help people who have already experienced mental illness recover more quickly, but can also help prevent people from becoming unwell again.
Similarly, research has found that peer support is effective in increasing self-efficacy in patients who suffered from severe mental illness.
Peer Support and Suicide
Peer support can offer those who are suicidal or who have experienced suicidal loss a place to feel heard and understood.
Peer support can help people stay out of hospital, increase hope and empowerment and increase community connection and social support.
A peer support program implemented in a rural Australian community found positive results. Compared to a control group, participants had greater awareness of signs that a person was at risk of suicide. They also had increased knowledge, practical skills and confidence in discussing suicide. This suggests that peer support can positively change the culture of communities to better support individuals by increasing confidence in discussing topics of suicide and increasing help-seeking behaviour.
A review into peer support programs found that, for suicide bereavement, peer support can offer a chance to develop relationships with peers who validate and normalise experiences and provide support in a non-judgmental environment.
Peer Support Workers (PSWs)
PSWs offer a unique and effective contribution to wellbeing.
Research has found that PSWs are proven to be an excellent method for reducing stigma surrounding mental health issues and assisting people with poor mental health to re-engage with life and also assist individuals to attend to their own physical health.
Evidence suggests that peer support work is beneficial to the mental and physical health of both the PSW and the receiver of the peer support service.